1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to automotive vehicles and is particularly directed to improved means for guiding drivers in safely maneuvering automotive vehicle during parking operations and the like.
2. Prior Art
In maneuvering automotive vehicles into parking areas, such as garages, it is often difficult to determine the precise position of the vehicle bumper with respect to an adjacent wall or the like. Consequently, the driver is faced with the alternatives of parking too far from the wall (Which often means that the garage door cannot be closed or that there is insufficient space between the rear of the vehicle and the garage door to allow persons to walk therebetween.) or of ramming the wall (Which may result in damage to the wall, the vehicle or both.). Moreover, storage areas are often located adjacent garage walls, making it necessary to park the vehicle a sufficient distance from the garage wall to prevent crushing articles located within the storage area. Unfortunately, such articles are frequently too low to be observed by the driver as they attempt a parking maneuver. Consequently, it becomes necessary to have an observer, outside the vehicle, to guide the driver in parking the vehicle or the driver must rely upon instinct to tell when they are approximately in the proper parking position. However, observers are not always available and reliance upon instinct can be unreliable.
Numerous prior art devices have been proposed for overcoming these problems. However, many of the prior art parking aids have been complex devices which are expensive to purchase, install and maintain. Other prior art parking aids have been unreliable or ambiguous and, hence, have provided little assistance. Furthermore, many of the prior art parking aid devices require fixed or permanent installation and, hence, are difficult or impossible to reposition, if necessary or desirable. A search in the United States Patent Office has revealed the following:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,490,917 J. T. Pilling Jan. 1, 1985 2,854,942 J. A. Ross Oct. 7, 1958 4,036,165 H. V. Wood Jul. 19, 1977 4,101,868 F. J. Bubnich et al Jul. 18, 1978 ______________________________________
However, each of these references is subject to the limitations discussed above. Thus, none of the prior art parking aids have been entirely satisfactory.